Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Office-industry park zone OK'd
Union Central to build in Forest Park
By Sara J. Bennett
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FOREST PARK — City Council has approved a rezoning request that will allow Union Central Life Insurance Co. to move forward with plans to develop a 123-acre site near its headquarters at Waycross and Mill roads into a complex of offices and light industrial facilities.
The rezoning, which changed the site from office space to a special planning district with more development flexibility, received final approval Monday.
Union Central plans to divide the complex into three areas with 25 acres dedicated to traditional office space, 30 acres given to high-tech office space, and 60 acres designated for a mix of office and light warehouse space.
Union Central has not announced specific building projects for the site. But construction of sewers and a road running through the development will begin immediately. Developers Cincinnati United Contractors plan to have the area built out over five to seven years.
City leaders have heralded the plan as a major economic development opportunity that could reinvigorate Hamilton Avenue, one of the city's main entrances.
“It's certainly a very major project for Forest Park,” said City Manager Ray Hodges. “It's one of the remaining large tracts of land for the city. It has tremendous potential not only as far as the development impact on that immediate area, but for the city in general.”
Before Union Central and Cincinnati United Contractors received final rezoning approval, they worked with nearby residents on plans to buffer homes from buildings on the land, which has sat vacant for at least 30 years.
The amount of land dedicated to office space was expanded. Building setbacks were increased to 100 feet instead of the maximum 25 that would have been required if the land remained zoned just for offices. And a swath of green space, measuring 300 feet at its widest point, will be kept between the development and abutting Mandarin Court.
Now, Cincinnati United Contractors must bring each individual building project before city officials for approval.
Said Mr. Hodges: “We haven't written the developers a blank check of what they can do. We have given them conceptual approval, and now they'll have to subject each project to review by the planning commission.”
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